Gas turbine engine vane assemblies are usually provided downstream of the engine fan and/or of a low pressure compressor to reduce the swirl in the air flow entering the high speed compressor. Such guide vane assemblies must be resistant to foreign object damage while having a minimal weight.
It is known to provide an outer shroud contained in the engine casing and having slots defined therethrough receiving the vane root therein to retain the vanes in place therewithin. In such a configuration, a grommet is usually inserted in the slots such as to surround a vane airfoil portion adjacent the root thereby isolating the vane from the shroud. However, during a foreign object damage event, a vane which is hit will move rearward as a result of the impact and the vane edge, which tends to be sharp, can cause cutting of the grommet and damage to other surrounding components. An adhesive such as a potting compound is sometimes used either in conjunction with or in replacement of the grommet, but the use of such an adhesive generally complicates the installation and replacement of vanes. In addition, the outer shroud used to retain the vanes in place increases the overall weight of the engine, as do the necessary connecting members to retain the vanes to this shroud, thus negatively affecting the engine's performance.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved vane assembly.